# Jido
[](https://hex.pm/packages/jido)
[](https://hexdocs.pm/jido/)
[](https://github.com/agentjido/jido/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
[](https://github.com/agentjido/jido/blob/main/LICENSE)
[](https://jido.run)
[](https://jido.run/ecosystem)
[](https://jido.run/discord)
> **Jido is an autonomous agent framework for Elixir, built for workflows and multi-agent systems.**
<!-- package.jido.framework -->
Define agents, connect them to actions, signals, and directives, and run them
with supervision and fault tolerance built in.
_The name "Jido" (自動) comes from the Japanese word meaning "automatic" or "automated", where 自 (ji) means "self" and 動 (dō) means "movement"._
_Learn more about Jido at [jido.run](https://jido.run)._
## Overview
Jido helps you build agent systems as ordinary Elixir and OTP software.
- Agents hold state and implement `cmd/2`
- Actions do work and transform that state
- Signals route events into the system
- Directives describe effects for the runtime to execute
The purity boundary is the agent's decision logic: Jido keeps agent decisions and
state transitions explicit, actions may be pure or effectful, and directives are
for effects you want the runtime to own.
Use Jido when software needs to inspect context, choose among multiple steps,
coordinate with other agents, and keep running reliably over time.
AI is optional. The core package gives you the agent architecture and runtime;
companion packages such as `jido_ai` add model integration when you need it.
At the core, Jido agents are immutable data structures with a single command function:
```elixir
defmodule MyAgent do
use Jido.Agent,
name: "my_agent",
description: "My custom agent",
schema: [
count: [type: :integer, default: 0]
]
end
{agent, directives} = MyAgent.cmd(agent, action)
```
State changes are explicit data transformations. If an action needs a result
back immediately to continue reasoning or update state, it may perform that work
itself. If the workflow has already decided on an outbound effect and wants the
runtime or integration layer to own delivery, return a directive.
<!-- package.jido.pure_cmd package.jido.runtime_separation -->
## The Jido Ecosystem
Jido is the core package of the Jido ecosystem. The ecosystem is built around the core Jido Agent behavior and offer several opt-in packages to extend the core behavior.
| Package | Description |
| ------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [req_llm](https://github.com/agentjido/req_llm) | HTTP client for LLM APIs |
| [jido_action](https://github.com/agentjido/jido_action) | Composable, validated actions with AI tool integration |
| [jido_signal](https://github.com/agentjido/jido_signal) | CloudEvents-based message envelope and supporting utilities for routing and pub/sub messaging |
| [jido](https://github.com/agentjido/jido) | Core agent framework with state management, directives, and runtime |
| [jido_ai](https://github.com/agentjido/jido_ai) | AI/LLM integration for agents |
For demos and examples of what you can build with the Jido Ecosystem, see [https://jido.run](https://jido.run). For the package map and support levels, see [https://jido.run/ecosystem](https://jido.run/ecosystem).
## Why Jido?
OTP primitives are excellent. You can build agent systems with raw GenServer. But when building *multiple cooperating agents*, you'll reinvent:
| Raw OTP | Jido Formalizes |
| ----------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| Ad-hoc message shapes per GenServer | Signals as standard envelope |
| Business logic mixed in callbacks | Actions as reusable command pattern |
| Implicit effects scattered in code | Directives as typed effect descriptions |
| Custom child tracking per server | Built-in parent/child hierarchy |
| Process exit = completion | State-based completion semantics |
Jido isn't "better GenServer" - it's a formalized agent pattern built *on* GenServer.
## Key Features
### Immutable Agent Architecture
- Functional agent state model inspired by Elm/Redux
- `cmd/2` as the core operation: actions in, updated agent + directives out
- Schema-validated state with NimbleOptions or Zoi
### Directive-Based Effects
- Actions transform state and may perform required work
- Directives describe runtime-owned external effects
- Built-in directives: Emit, Spawn, SpawnAgent, StopChild, StartSensor, StopSensor, Schedule, Stop
- Protocol-based extensibility for custom directives
### OTP Runtime Integration
- GenServer-based AgentServer for production deployment
- Parent-child agent hierarchies with lifecycle management
- Signal routing with configurable strategies
- Instance-scoped supervision plus logical partitions for multi-tenant deployments
### Composable Plugins
- Reusable capability modules that extend agents
- State isolation per plugin with automatic schema merging
- Lifecycle hooks for initialization and signal handling
### Execution Strategies
- Direct execution for simple workflows
- FSM (Finite State Machine) strategy for state-driven workflows
- Extensible strategy protocol for custom execution patterns
### Multi-Agent Orchestration
- Multi-agent workflows with configurable strategies
- Plan-based orchestration for complex workflows
- Durable groups of agents with named topology, hierarchical runtime ownership, nested pod nodes, and partition-safe tenancy boundaries
## Installation
### Using Igniter (Recommended)
The fastest way to get started is with [Igniter](https://hex.pm/packages/igniter):
```bash
mix igniter.install jido
```
This automatically:
- Adds Jido to your dependencies
- Creates a `MyApp.Jido` instance module (`use Jido, otp_app: :my_app`)
- Creates configuration in `config/config.exs`
- Adds `MyApp.Jido` to your supervision tree
Generate an example agent to get started:
```bash
mix igniter.install jido --example
```
### Manual Installation
Add `jido` to your list of dependencies in `mix.exs`:
```elixir
def deps do
[
{:jido, "~> 2.0"}
]
end
```
Then define a Jido instance module and add it to your supervision tree:
```elixir
# In lib/my_app/jido.ex
defmodule MyApp.Jido do
use Jido, otp_app: :my_app
end
```
```elixir
# In config/config.exs
config :my_app, MyApp.Jido,
max_tasks: 1000,
agent_pools: []
```
```elixir
# In your application.ex
children = [
MyApp.Jido
]
Supervisor.start_link(children, strategy: :one_for_one)
```
## Quick Start
### 1. Define an Agent
```elixir
defmodule MyApp.CounterAgent do
use Jido.Agent,
name: "counter",
description: "A simple counter agent",
schema: [
count: [type: :integer, default: 0]
],
signal_routes: [
{"increment", MyApp.Actions.Increment}
]
end
```
### 2. Define an Action
```elixir
defmodule MyApp.Actions.Increment do
use Jido.Action,
name: "increment",
description: "Increments the counter by a given amount",
schema: [
amount: [type: :integer, default: 1]
]
def run(params, context) do
current = context.state[:count] || 0
{:ok, %{count: current + params.amount}}
end
end
```
### 3. Execute Commands
```elixir
# Create an agent
agent = MyApp.CounterAgent.new()
# Execute an action - returns updated agent + directives
{agent, directives} = MyApp.CounterAgent.cmd(agent, {MyApp.Actions.Increment, %{amount: 5}})
# Check the state
agent.state.count
# => 5
```
### 4. Run with AgentServer
```elixir
# Start the agent server
{:ok, pid} = MyApp.Jido.start_agent(MyApp.CounterAgent, id: "counter-1")
# Send signals to the running agent (synchronous)
# Signal types must be declared in signal_routes
{:ok, agent} = Jido.AgentServer.call(pid, Jido.Signal.new!("increment", %{amount: 10}, source: "/user"))
# Look up the agent by ID
pid = MyApp.Jido.whereis("counter-1")
# List all running agents
agents = MyApp.Jido.list_agents()
```
## Core Concepts
### The `cmd/2` Contract
The fundamental operation in Jido:
```elixir
{agent, directives} = MyAgent.cmd(agent, action)
```
Key invariants:
- The returned `agent` is always complete - no "apply directives" step needed
- `directives` describe runtime-owned external effects only - they never modify
agent state
- Agent decision logic stays explicit and testable; deterministic actions produce
deterministic `cmd/2` results
Use this rule of thumb for side effects:
- If the step needs a result back now to continue reasoning or update state, an
effectful action is acceptable.
- If the workflow has already decided on an outbound effect and wants the
runtime or integration layer to own delivery, return a directive.
### Actions vs Directives vs State Operations
| Actions | Directives | State Operations |
| ------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| Transform state, may perform side effects | Describe runtime-owned effects | Describe internal state changes |
| Executed by `cmd/2`, update `agent.state` | Bare structs emitted by agents | Applied by strategy layer |
| Can call APIs, read files, query databases | Runtime (AgentServer) interprets them | Never leave the strategy |
### State Operations (`Jido.Agent.StateOp`)
State operations are internal state transitions handled by the strategy layer during `cmd/2`. Unlike directives, they never reach the runtime.
| StateOp | Purpose |
| -------------- | -------------------------------- |
| `SetState` | Deep merge attributes into state |
| `ReplaceState` | Replace state wholesale |
| `DeleteKeys` | Remove top-level keys |
| `SetPath` | Set value at nested path |
| `DeletePath` | Delete value at nested path |
### Directive Types
| Directive | Purpose |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------ |
| `Emit` | Dispatch a signal via configured adapters |
| `Error` | Signal an error from cmd/2 |
| `Spawn` | Spawn a generic BEAM child process |
| `SpawnAgent` | Spawn a tracked child Jido agent (`restart: :transient` by default) |
| `StopChild` | Gracefully stop and remove a tracked child agent |
| `StartSensor` | Start or replace a tagged sensor runtime |
| `StopSensor` | Stop a tagged sensor runtime |
| `Schedule` | Schedule a delayed message |
| `Stop` | Stop the agent process |
Sensor runtimes started by `StartSensor` are tracked under `{:sensor, tag}` and
are owner-monitored by default. Unexpected sensor exits emit
`jido.agent.sensor.exit` back to the owning agent; controlled `StopSensor`
shutdowns do not. Use `link?: true` only when a sensor should fail fast with
its owning `AgentServer`.
## Documentation
**Start here:**
- [Quick Start](guides/getting-started.livemd) - Build your first agent in 5 minutes
- [Core Loop](guides/core-loop.md) - Understand the mental model
**Guides:**
- [Building Agents](guides/agents.md) - Agent definitions and state management
- [Signals & Routing](guides/signals.md) - Signal-based communication
- [Agent Directives](guides/directives.md) - Effect descriptions for the runtime
- [Runtime and AgentServer](guides/runtime.md) - Process-based agent execution
- [Choosing a Runtime Pattern](guides/runtime-patterns.md) - When to use `SpawnAgent`, `InstanceManager`, `Pod`, and `partition`
- [Pods](guides/pods.md) - Durable groups of agents with named topology, lazy activation, nested pods, and live add/remove mutation
- [Multi-Tenancy](guides/multi-tenancy.md) - Shared-instance tenancy with partitions and Pod-first durable workspaces
- [Persistence & Storage](guides/storage.md) - Hibernate, thaw, and InstanceManager lifecycle
- [Scheduling](guides/scheduling.md) - Declarative and dynamic cron scheduling
- [Plugins](guides/plugins.md) - Composable capability bundles
- [Strategies](guides/strategies.md) - Execution strategies (Direct, FSM)
**Advanced:**
- [FSM Strategy Deep Dive](guides/fsm-strategy.livemd) - State machine workflows
- [Worker Pools](guides/worker-pools.md) - Pre-warmed agent pools for throughput
- [Testing Agents](guides/testing.md) - Testing patterns and best practices
**API Reference:** [hexdocs.pm/jido](https://hexdocs.pm/jido)
## FAQ
### General Questions
**Q: What is Jido and how does it differ from other agent frameworks?**
A: Jido is an **autonomous agent framework for Elixir, built for workflows and multi-agent systems**. Key differentiators:
- **OTP-native architecture**: Built on GenServer with supervision and fault tolerance built in
- **Immutable agents**: Functional state model inspired by Elm/Redux
- **AI optional**: Core package provides agent architecture without requiring AI/LLM
- **Explicit effect boundaries**: actions may own immediate work; directives describe runtime-owned effects
Compared to LangChain/CrewAI:
- **LangChain**: Chain-based orchestration, Python-first
- **CrewAI**: Role-playing autonomous agents, team-based collaboration
- **Jido**: OTP-native with supervision trees, Elixir/BEAM ecosystem
**Q: What is the Agent/Action/Signal/Directive architecture?**
A:
- **Agents**: Immutable structs plus modules that hold state and implement `cmd/2`
- **Actions**: Receive validated params and context, then return state updates and optional directives
- **Signals**: CloudEvents-compliant messages routed into the system
- **Directives**: Bare structs that describe effects for the runtime to execute
`cmd/2` returns the updated agent plus directives. Directives never mutate agent
state; the OTP runtime interprets them for runtime-owned external effects.
Actions may still perform work such as API calls, file I/O, or database queries
when that result is needed immediately by the action or state transition.
**Q: Is AI required for Jido?**
A: **No!** The core package (`jido`) provides agent architecture and runtime without AI. AI/LLM integration is optional via companion packages:
- `jido_ai`: AI/LLM integration for agents
- `req_llm`: HTTP client for LLM APIs
Use Jido when software needs to inspect context, choose steps, coordinate agents, and run reliably - AI is optional.
**Q: What are the Jido ecosystem packages?**
A:
| Package | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **req_llm** | HTTP client for LLM APIs |
| **jido_action** | Composable, validated actions with AI tool integration |
| **jido_signal** | CloudEvents-based message envelope and routing utilities |
| **jido** | Core agent framework with state management, directives, runtime |
| **jido_ai** | AI/LLM integration for agents |
### Getting Started
**Q: How do I install Jido?**
A: Jido is available on Hex.pm:
```elixir
def deps do
[
{:jido, "~> 2.0"}
]
end
```
See [jido.run](https://jido.run) for demos and examples.
**Q: How do I create an agent?**
A:
```elixir
defmodule MyAgent do
use Jido.Agent,
name: "my_agent",
description: "My custom agent",
schema: [
count: [type: :integer, default: 0]
]
end
{agent, directives} = MyAgent.cmd(agent, action)
```
See [hexdocs.pm/jido](https://hexdocs.pm/jido) for API reference.
**Q: How do I run agents in production?**
A: Use `AgentServer` (GenServer-based) for production deployment:
- Parent-child agent hierarchies with lifecycle management
- Signal routing with configurable strategies
- Instance-scoped supervision plus logical partitions for multi-tenant deployments
### Features
**Q: What directives are available?**
A: Built-in directives:
- **Emit**: Emit signals to the system
- **Error**: Signal an error from `cmd/2`
- **Spawn**: Spawn child processes
- **SpawnAgent**: Spawn child agents
- **AdoptChild**: Attach an orphaned or unattached child to the current parent
- **StopChild**: Stop child processes/agents
- **StartSensor**: Start or replace owner-monitored tagged sensor runtimes
- **StopSensor**: Stop tagged sensor runtimes
- **Schedule**: Schedule future actions
- **RunInstruction**: Execute an instruction at runtime and route the result back to `cmd/2`
- **Stop**: Stop the agent
- **Cron / CronCancel**: Register and cancel cron-based schedules
External packages can also define custom directive structs. See [Agent Directives](guides/directives.md) for details.
**Q: How do plugins work?**
A: Composable plugins extend agents with:
- Reusable capability modules
- State isolation per plugin with automatic schema merging
- Easy capability sharing across agents
See [Plugins Guide](guides/plugins.md) for details.
**Q: What execution strategies are available?**
A:
- **Direct Strategy**: Immediate execution
- **FSM Strategy**: State machine workflows
See [Strategies Guide](guides/strategies.md) and [FSM Strategy Deep Dive](guides/fsm-strategy.livemd).
### Troubleshooting
**Q: I'm getting GenServer timeout errors. What should I check?**
A:
1. Check action execution time
2. Consider using worker pools for throughput (`guides/worker-pools.md`)
3. Review supervision tree configuration
**Q: My agents aren't receiving signals. What's wrong?**
A:
1. Check signal routing configuration
2. Verify signal envelope format (CloudEvents)
3. Review signal dispatch strategy
### Help Resources
- **Documentation**: [hexdocs.pm/jido](https://hexdocs.pm/jido)
- **Website**: [jido.run](https://jido.run)
- **Ecosystem**: [jido.run/ecosystem](https://jido.run/ecosystem)
- **Discord**: [jido.run/discord](https://jido.run/discord)
- **GitHub**: [github.com/agentjido/jido](https://github.com/agentjido/jido)
- **Jido Workbench**: [github.com/agentjido/jido_workbench](https://github.com/agentjido/jido_workbench)
## Development
### Prerequisites
- Elixir 1.17+
- Erlang/OTP 26+
### Running Tests
```bash
mix test
```
### Quality Checks
```bash
mix quality # Runs formatter, dialyzer, and credo
```
## Contributing
We welcome contributions! Please see our [Contributing Guide](CONTRIBUTING.md) for details on:
- Setting up your development environment
- Running tests and quality checks
- Submitting pull requests
- Code style guidelines
## License
Copyright 2024-2025 Mike Hostetler
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See [LICENSE](LICENSE) for details.
## Links
- **Documentation**: [https://hexdocs.pm/jido](https://hexdocs.pm/jido)
- **GitHub**: [https://github.com/agentjido/jido](https://github.com/agentjido/jido)
- **AgentJido**: [https://jido.run](https://jido.run)
- **Ecosystem**: [https://jido.run/ecosystem](https://jido.run/ecosystem)
- **Discord**: [https://jido.run/discord](https://jido.run/discord)
- **Jido Workbench**: [https://github.com/agentjido/jido_workbench](https://github.com/agentjido/jido_workbench)